Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh inaugurated the GOA DIALOGUES this morning at the International Centre Goa (ICG) at its premises in Dona Paula before an audience that included the Governor of Goa, Shri S.C. Jamir, the Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Digamber Kamat,  Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly, Shri Pratapsingh Rane, and other VIPs.

In his remarks Dr. Manmohan Singh said that “scholars everywhere have an obligation to promote the process of dialogue and discussion and to encourage diplomacy to find meaningful and peaceful solutions to the numerous problems which the world faces”. He continued “it is in this context that this new experiment of the Goa Dialogues is of great significance”.

The Prime Minister said that “the ultimate foundations of policies are laid in the minds of the people who make the critical decisions of our nation’s life and it is therefore very important that those who make these critical decisions…should have access to the best possible information. It is in this context that the role of the intellectual communities in our country assumes great importance –they are the path-finders, they must lead us forward from ignorance into light, from hatred to promotion of goodwill”.

Saying that the Goa Dialogues are going to be “path-finders, the Prime Minister said that “our country and our region need men and women who are committed to promoting goodwill, understanding, reconciliation, inclusive lifestyles and  development”(read more)

In a reference to Benazir Bhutto Dr Manmohan Singh said “only last night we saw the horror of the brutal assassination of one of the most promising and prominent leaders of Pakistan who was committed to strengthening democracy and I note with great appreciation her recent utterance of trying to promote understanding, goodwill, friendship between India and Pakistan” (read more)

The GOA DIALOGUES is a new joint initiative of the of the International Centre Goa and the Asian Dialogue Society to promote and strengthen peace, stability, freedom, independence, and sustainable development in Asia and the world through dialogue, interaction and cooperation. The series will focus on issues of local, national and global importance.

In his remarks Shri Pratapsingh Rane, who is also the President of the International Centre Goa said that through the work of the GOA DIALOGUES the Centre can play a role to help develop a vision for Goa in the 21st Century. That vision, he stressed, must be of a Goa that is GLOBAL, CREATIVE, and STRATEGIC. Goa, he continued, needed to re-define, not just re-invent, its role to be a new dynamic hub that will serve India and the world through using the experiences and skills of its people and without sacrificing its rich multi-cultural  and ecological heritage.

Rane also said that the GOA DIALOGUES can become a forum that can be well-known in India and the world and can contribute to building a resurgent Goa, a progressive India, a better Asia, and a safer world(read more)  

As part of this series the GOA DIALOGUES, he added, will organize interesting lectures and activities. On January 4th the Centre will organize a lecture on “Mao Zedong: the Real Story  and His Attitude To India” by the famous novelist of “The Wild Swans”, Jung Chang and her husband, Dr Michael Halliday (read more) .

In February the Centre will host a one-week Building a Better Asia retreat for 25 young leaders from 16 Asian countries. The keynote speaker will be the new Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr Surin Pitsuwan.  This will be followed by a major conference on Climate Change Governance organized with the University of Bristol.

When he arrived the Prime Minister was given a briefing on the future expansion plans of the Centre by its director, M Rajaretnam. The Prime Minister also launched the Centre’s first book, “Towards Freedom in South Asia” edited by Dr V.A. Pai Panandiker and Dr Rahul Tripathi.

Also See : PM's Speech   | Shri Pratapsingh Rane's Speech    | PM's Statement in Goa on Benazir Bhutto's Death